We met at Russ's house at 9am and set off by 9:15 after a sorting a minor hiccup which was having to bump start Russ's bike as he'd left his lights on whilst we were chatting, DOH (shouldn't really have happened at all seeing as the bike lives in a battery tender in his garage. Maybe time for a new battery Russ?)
After the short commute up the A38 our route picking up the TET started at Topsham, Exeter with our intended destination being Salisbury. The route was 127miles but we didn't really know whether that was going to be too much in one day or not.
Our first lane was skirting the shore along the river Exet. High tide was several hours earlier so we had a clear path. Onwards to Rydon lane which is now fully tarmaced amd supposed to have been downgraded to a footpath but local intel says its status hasn't actually changed yet so we rode it. Onwards through Woodbury and Bicton Common. At Newton Poppleford we rode Northmostown which is a nice long lane.
Riding up the hill out of Sidford we peeled off onto Trow hill where theres a couple of short little lanes before rejoining the main A3052. We continued East before dropping south down the hill at Bovey Ho to the lane that climbs up to Lockseys Lane. This is quite a challenging lane and when I got to the top I waited for Damian and Russ.......and I waited, amd I waited. This wasn't good so I hid my bike parking it in a field ready to walk back down the lane and at which point they both appeared. Russ had had an off hitting a large tree covered in ivy - which he didn't apparently see! I knocked him off and bashed the exhaust end can breaking the securing clamp. Worse than that though Damian said when he dismounted his bike to tend to Russ who was on the floor Russ's eyes were apparently rolling around in his head. Dazed by the off it took Russ a while to come around but he was all good. They unclamped the end can and slid the link back back ober the header but the clamp was busted. Hopefully it would stay attached.
The steep descent in Vicarage was next - glad I remembered to turn the ABS OFF!!
We then rode back up the hill taking in a few wide gravel lanes before hitting the main road again briefly then dropping into Seaton.
At Axmouth we rode Bushes Lane and Green lane taking us further east before heading north and some steep and rocky lanes before Uplyme. Past the beautiful houses on Rhode Lane before climbing Rookery Lane and exiting at Raymonds Hill then a lengthy wait for the traffic to clear before we could pull out onto the busy A35.
We continued east through Wooton Fitzpaine then into Butt Lane (that sounds very wrong!) at Ryall. Here Russ's route dropped south back onto the A35 so I queried why he didn't have Hell Lane on the route. This was die to the fact thise route was planned several years ago - and we never got to ride it due to the weather - and at the time Hell Lane was TRO'd, but now it's not - despite the ROAD CLOSED signs still being present at the western end. This lane didn't disappoint and actually caught me out about 100 yeards in as my front wheel slipped away from me on the slimey mud causing me to park the bike in the hedge. I nearly caught it, but not quite. The route up the lane was muddy and rutted and all the bikes were properly fithy now. A quick photo stop at the feature part of the lane; the tall, Jurassic looking sandstone walls of the sunken lane then we stopped at Bridport for a bite to eat for lunch, at rhe Kernow pasty shop!!
After lunch we stopped at 'ETB' (exhausts, tyres and brakes) in an attempt to get a clamp to hold Russ's exhaust which had dislodged itself one further time since refitting it. The guys in the shop were great and managed to find a perfect clamp to do the job (it took them about 5 different types / size of clamp but they found the perfect one in the end)
Heading north out of Bridport we rode Hingston lane which was another nice rocky climb.
At Broadwinsor we rode Common Water Lane which was a lovely long and easy flowing lane before we turned right/ south into the lane at Minterns Hill which has a sign at the top saying 'unsuitable for motors' - a sign that we like - but then a big red one underneath that said 'Riders dismount'! We like a challenge so we kept riding but jeez it was steep and at one point there was a ledge/ step drop which had me thinking I might go over the bars but leaning right back as I rode it down and all was good.
Through Beaminster and further east though Hooke then lower Kingcombe then a nice road blast across the ridge road before dropping into Chilfrome amd the infamous Wraxall Lane where a year or two prior I'd gone right over the handlebars after hitting a sink hole in the lane. Well, the water errosion was even worse now and the mud was still like quicksand so a cautious path through was necessary.
Some lovely long lanes at Wancombe hill amd Minterne Parva, overlooking the Manor house in the valley.
Further east and we were now into unridden territory. Nice long lanes here though Okeford Fitzpaine and Shillingstone. A nice straight road blast past Compton Abbas airfield before hitting the lane at Win Green which has the most amazing panoramic views from up on high. We had to stop to take it in .... and for a picture of course.
Pretty much from here on into Salisbury was all lanes, miles of them! wide, open lanes but with many bumps and whoops so a real test for the suspension! Our journey ended at Salisbury Racecourse where there was a campsite as listed on the TET App. It was now 7pm and with hungry bellies food was the order of the day so we found a lovely pub - the Pembroke Arms in Wilton - where we had a lovely dinner and a pint before heading to the campsite where we were glady welcomed, all for the princely sum of £24 for all three of us, bargain!!!
We pitched up, made a brew, had some beers amd cakes, had a shower then it was lights out by 10pm as the alarm clock was set for 7am.
